Such escalators were common until the King's Cross fire of 1987. That disaster prompted their gradual replacement, and Greenford has the last remaining example.

The station upgrade will also include step-free access, a wider staircase and a radar key toilet at platform level. The work should be complete by summer 2015.

Greenford is also one of the few stations to have an escalator leading up from ground level to the platforms. The new upgrade work will add yet another peculiarity: step-free access will not be via a vertical lift, but by an incline lift running parallel to the escalator. This is unique on the Tube network, though not the only one in London. Several Crossrail stations will also receive incline lifts in coming years.